Broken Ribs Compensation Claims Guide

Broken ribs, and other rib injuries, could be suffered in any type of accident. Whether that be at work, on the road, or in public. If you have suffered a rib injury and it was someone else’s fault, you may be able to claim broken ribs compensation. 

In this guide, we first discuss what broken rib injuries are and when you might be able to begin a personal injury claim. Additionally, we look at how compensation for a rib injury claim might be calculated. 

Furthermore, we explain how long you have to begin a claim and what evidence should be collected to support your case. 

As you approach the end of this guide, we talk about No Win No Fee claims and how our panel of expert personal injury lawyers could help you today. 

Our team works around the clock to make sure that the process of claiming compensation is as simple and easy as possible for you. To ask any questions or to find out whether you’re eligible for broken ribs compensation, please contact us today:

A labelled diagram of ribs.

Jump To A Section

  1. What Are Broken Or Bruised Ribs?
  2. Can I Claim Broken Ribs Compensation?
  3. How Much Compensation For Broken Ribs?
  4. What Is The Time Limit For Broken Ribs Compensation Claims?
  5. How Do I Claim Broken Ribs Compensation?
  6. How Long Do Rib Injury Claims Take?
  7. Claim For Broken Or Bruised Ribs Using A No Win No Fee Solicitor
  8. More Useful Resources About Claiming Compensation

What Are Broken Or Bruised Ribs?

Bruised or broken ribs can be a very painful injury that can be caused by a number of ways, but most commonly by blunt trauma. 

Here are some symptoms to look out for if you think that you may have broken or bruised ribs:

  • Tenderness or swelling around the ribs. 
  • Intense chest pain, especially when you cough or breathe in. 
  • Bruised skin around the ribs. 
  • Hearing or feeling a crack (for broken ribs). 

After suffering a rib injury, you should seek medical attention. There is a chance that your broken ribs can cause another serious injury to your internal organs. 

Your medical reports can also be useful as evidence if you are looking to claim broken ribs compensation. Continue reading this guide to see when you may have a valid claim. You can also contact our advisors for free advice.

Can I Claim Broken Ribs Compensation?

To make a broken ribs compensation claim, you must show how negligence has occurred. Negligence is when an injury is suffered because a responsible third party breached their duty of care. 

Depending on where you are, there are many types of people who could owe you a duty of care. While we discuss this in more detail below, here is the eligibility criteria you need to meet to begin a rib injury claim:

  1. You were owed a duty of care. 
  2. A responsible third party breached their duty of care. 
  3. You suffered a rib injury due to this breach.

Road Traffic Accidents 

When using the roads, all road users owe one another a duty of care to minimise injuries. This duty of care requires road users to follow the rules in the Road Traffic Act 1988 and The Highway Code in order to use the roads safely and lawfully. 

If a road user were to breach their duty of care, an accident could occur. For example:

  • If a driver ran a red light, and collided into the side of your car who was using the roads lawfully, you could suffer a broken rib alongside other injuries, such as a broken knee.

Accidents In A Public Place

All occupiers of public places (people who have control of public spaces, such as libraries and parks) owe a duty of care to any member of the public who lawfully visits their space. This is stated in the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957. This duty of care requires occupiers to take steps in order to ensure the public’s reasonable safety. For example, they could perform regular risk and hazard assessments.

A failure to adhere tp their duty of care could lead to a member of the public suffering an injury in an accident. For example:

  • A supermarket fails to install an overhead hanging sign correctly. This causes the sign to fall onto you and you suffer a severe chest crush injury and broken ribs,

Accidents At Work

All employers owe a duty of care to their employees. This is stated in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. This duty of care requires employers to take reasonable steps in order to ensure their employee’s safety. For example, they should provide all staff with correct training.

If an employer does not adhere to their duty of care, this could lead to a workplace accident. For example:

  • * Despite knowing they have provided you with no training on how to operate a forklift, your employer still makes you use one. This causes you to suffer broken ribs in a forklift crash when you lose control of the vehicle.

If you believe that a responsible third party was negligent and liable for your rib injury, please get in touch with us today to discuss your circumstances. 

A doctor with a stethoscope around his neck holding an x-ray image of ribs.

How Much Compensation For Broken Ribs?

Rib injury compensation in successful personal injury claims may consist of two different types of loss. These types of loss are general damages (what is definitely awarded), and special damages (what is sometimes awarded).

General damages compensates the physical and psychological impacts of your rib injury caused by a breached duty of care. These are some factors that are considered under general damages:

  • Loss of amenity. 
  • Your pain severity. 
  • The length of your recovery. 

You may be asked to go for an independent medical assessment during the rib injury compensation claims process. Any reports from this assessment can be used to help calculate the value of your general damages alongside the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). 

The JCG is a document that has guideline compensation payouts for different types of injuries and illnesses.

Compensation Guidelines

We will now browse some guideline compensation payouts for different types of chest and rib injuries. All figures except the first are from the JCG:

  • For suffering multiple serious injuries, and financial losses such as loss of earnings, the compensation award could potentially be up to £250,000+.
  • If one of your lungs has been removed and you have severe pain and scarring alongside this, the compensation award could potentially range from £122,850 to £183,190.
  • If you have suffered a traumatic chest or lung injury, which leads to permanent impaired function and a reduced life expectancy, the compensation award could potentially range from £80,240 to £122,850.
  • If you have suffered damage to your chest or lungs, which causes some continuing disability, the compensation award could potentially range from £38,210 to £66,920.
  • If you have suffered a relatively simple rib injury, where there is some permanent tissue damage but there is no significant long-term effect on the lung’s function, the compensation award could potentially range from £15,370 to £21,920.
  • If your rib injury had led to a collapsed lung, where a full recovery is made, the compensation award could potentially range from £2,680 to £6,500.
  • If you have suffered a rib fracture, where the pain and disability only lasts for a period of weeks, the compensation award could potentially be up to £4,820.

Please remember that none of the above figures can be guaranteed for your specific rib injury claim. This is because your and every claim is unique. 

Can I Claim For Loss of Earnings Caused By A Broken Rib?

Special damages compensates the financial impacts of your rib injury caused by a breached duty of care, including loss of earnings. Loss of earnings is when you have missed wages from not being able to work during the recovery of your injury. 

There are also other types of financial losses which you could possibly claim back under special damages, such as:

  • Travel expenses for travelling to and from hospital appointments. 
  • Medical bills, such as buying painkillers. 
  • Domestic care costs. 

As we have mentioned, special damages is not guaranteed to be awarded if your broken ribs compensation claim is successful. Which is why keeping evidence of your rib injury’s financial impacts, such as invoices, bank statements, payslips and receipts, is essential.

Contact our advisors today to receive a free valuation of your potential personal injury compensation

What Is The Time Limit For Broken Ribs Compensation Claims?

Under the Limitation Act 1980, the standard time limit to begin a personal injury claim for a rib injury is 3 years from the date of the accident. 

However, the standard time limit will be paused if the claimant is either:

  • Under 18 years old. 
  • Doesn’t have the mental capacity to make a claim.

While the time limit is paused, a litigation friend can possibly be appointed by the courts to begin the claim on behalf of the claimant. However, if a litigation friend has not began the claim when the claimant either:

  • Turns 18. 
  • Recovers their mental capacity. 

Then the standard 3 year time limit will commence from this point. 

For more information on the time limits to claim broken ribs compensation, please have a chat with us today. 

A pile of £1 coins in front of a £20 note to represent broken ribs compensation.

How Do I Claim Broken Ribs Compensation?

To better your chances of successfully claiming broken ribs compensation, you will have to provide proof that negligence has occurred. 

Such evidence should be:

  • Medical notes and records concerning your rib injury. 
  • Dashcam or CCTV footage of the accident happening. 
  • Photographs of the accident site, and if possible, the causation (for example, a broken piece of equipment). 
  • Contact details from any witnesses to the accident (the public, colleagues, etc.).
  • An accident report book, if your accident was at work. 

If the thought of collecting all the evidence you need is a bit daunting, do not worry. If you are connected with one of the No Win No Fee solicitors from our panel, they will help you collect your evidence. This is just one of the things included in their services, as well as:

  • Sending off documents and correspondence to the defendant on your behalf. 
  • Ensuring your claim is fairly calculated and filed within the time limit. 
  • Giving you updates throughout the case. 
  • Explaining legal terminology to you. 

To see whether one of the solicitors from our panel can help you, get in touch today. 

How Long Do Rib Injury Claims Take?

There is no specific time to how long broken ribs compensation claims take, as all claims are unique. 

Many factors can change how long a rib injury claim takes, including:

  • The severity of your injury. For example, for more serious cases, time may be needed to know the full extent of your injuries. 
  • Whether the defendant accepts liability for your rib injury, and how long they take to respond to correspondence.
  • The time it takes to collect all your evidence.

To potentially begin your rib injury compensation claim today, please contact us.

Claim For Broken Or Bruised Ribs Using A No Win No Fee Solicitor

If you’re eligible to claim broken ribs compensation, you can do so on a No Win No Fee basis with a solicitor from our panel. Specifically, you can do so under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). 

Here is how you can benefit from claiming under a CFA:

  • There are no upfront solicitor service fees. 
  • There are ongoing solicitor service fees. 
  • There are no solicitor service fees at all if your claim is lost. 
  • If your claim is successful, your solicitor will take a legally capped percentage of your compensation called the success fee.

Contact Us Today 

Contact us today to learn more about claiming broken ribs compensation. If you have been injured at the fault of another person, we want to help you. Our contact options are free to use and are live 24/7:

A gavel on top of a black law book on an oak table.

More Useful Resources About Claiming Compensation

Here are a few of our other personal injury claims guides:

Additionally, here are a few other pages which might give you useful information:

Thank you for reading our guide on claiming broken ribs compensation. Contact our advisors today to discuss your case and receive free advice.